Opera and ballet in St. Petersburg: how to buy tickets as a foreigner

If you’re planning to catch a ballet or opera during your trip to St. Petersburg, the first thing you need to know is that buying tickets from abroad has become significantly more complicated since 2022. The official websites of the Mariinsky and Mikhailovsky still work, but their payment systems no longer accept Visa or Mastercard cards issued outside Russia. And to make things worse, the third-party resellers that pop up when you search “Mariinsky tickets” or “Mikhailovsky tickets” on Google are charging three, four, or even five times the official price.

The good news is that you can absolutely get tickets at the real price. The easiest way is to head straight to the box office when you arrive in St. Petersburg and pay in rubles cash. If you have a Russian MIR card, you can also buy online at mariinsky.ru or mikhailovsky.ru. In this guide I’ll walk you through your options step by step — real 2026 prices, when tickets go on sale, and what you need to know about dress code, age restrictions, and entry rules.

The challenges of buying tickets as a foreigner

Both the Mariinsky (mariinsky.ru) and Mikhailovsky (mikhailovsky.ru) have English-language versions of their websites and let you register, browse the calendar, and select your seat. The problem kicks in at the payment stage:

• No foreign cards accepted. Since March 2022, the payment systems only accept Russian cards — primarily MIR, plus some Visa/Mastercard cards issued by Russian banks. Foreign cards are rejected automatically.
• Intermittent access from some IPs. The Mariinsky loads reasonably well from abroad, but the Mikhailovsky can be slow or throw errors when accessed from non-Russian IPs. If that happens, try connecting via a VPN with a server that isn’t blocked in Russia — Proton VPN works well for this.
• Even with a MIR card, SMS verification may be required. Depending on which bank issued your MIR card, online payments go through 3D Secure authentication and the confirmation code is sent by SMS to the Russian phone number linked to the account. If you don’t have an active Russian number, you won’t be able to complete the purchase online even if you have the card.

The easiest ways to get tickets without overpaying

Option 1. Buy at the box office when you arrive

This is the option I recommend for most travellers. As soon as you get to St. Petersburg, head straight to the theatre box office and buy your tickets in rubles — cash or any Russian card. It’s the official method, at the official price, with no third-party fees. The Mariinsky makes this particularly convenient because they have four official box offices scattered around the city, all open every day.

For most performances — except premieres or high-demand ballets like Swan Lake, The Nutcracker at Christmas, or Sleeping Beauty — tickets are usually available until a few days before the show or even on the day itself. If your schedule allows, the ideal approach is to go to the box office as soon as you arrive and pick something for later in your trip.

It helps to arrive in Russia with some rubles or exchange money at a bank or currency exchange as soon as possible. Check out my guide on bringing euros to Russia so you don’t lose money on the conversion.

Option 2. Buy online with a Russian MIR card

If you’re already in Russia (or have been before) and have a MIR card from T-Bank or another Russian bank, you can register on mariinsky.ru or mikhailovsky.ru, pick your performance and seat, and pay online. You’ll receive a PDF with a QR code that you simply print out or show on your phone at the entrance. That said, as I mentioned above, the payment may require an SMS code sent to the Russian number linked to your card — worth trying either way.

Option 3. Ask a friend or family member in Russia to buy them

If you know someone living in Russia — a friend, partner, relative, or fellow student — they can buy the tickets in your name through the official website or at the box office. They’ll need your full name and passport number exactly as they appear on your visa or entry document. They then send you the e-ticket PDF by email. If you need to send them money from abroad, there are several methods that still work in 2026 — SendNOW, SwapCoin, and various P2P platforms among them.

The Mariinsky Theatre

The Mariinsky Theatre is one of the most celebrated opera and ballet theatres in the world. Its ballet company — known as the Kirov Ballet during the Soviet era — has produced legends like Anna Pavlova, Galina Ulanova, Rudolf Nureyev, and Mikhail Baryshnikov. Its general director is Valery Gergiev, who since 2024 also heads the Bolshoi. The historic venue opened in 1860 on Teatralnaya Square, right in the heart of St. Petersburg.

The Mariinsky stages

Before buying, pay close attention to which stage your performance is on: the Mariinsky isn’t a single building but a complex with several venues spread a few minutes’ walk apart.

• Mariinsky Theatre (Historic Stage). The classic 1860 building on Teatralnaya Square, 1. This is the one most travellers picture when they hear “Mariinsky”: green and white facade, an imperial-style auditorium with the Tsar’s box and seating across the stalls and five levels. The bulk of the classical ballet and opera repertoire is staged here.
• Mariinsky II. The adjacent building that opened in May 2013, a 5-minute walk from the Historic Stage at Dekabristov, 34. A modern 2,000-seat hall with excellent acoustics and good sightlines from almost every seat. The company and orchestra are the same as at the Historic Stage, and tickets tend to be slightly cheaper.
• Concert Hall. Located at Pisareva, 20 (entrance from Dekabristov, 37). Designed primarily for symphonic and chamber concerts and opera-in-concert performances.
• Stravinsky Hall and chamber halls. Inside Mariinsky II, used for recitals and small-format operas.

The Mariinsky’s official box offices

The Mariinsky has four official physical box offices, all open daily. All four sell tickets for any performance at any of the venues — not just the one they’re attached to:

• Mariinsky (Historic Stage) box office. Teatralnaya Square, 1. Hours: 11:00–19:00, lunch break 14:00–15:00. Important: this box office closes from 23 August to 19 September for end-of-season maintenance.
• Mariinsky II box office. Dekabristov, 34. Hours: 11:00–19:00, lunch break 15:00–16:00.
• Concert Hall box office. Pisareva, 20 (entrance from Dekabristov, 37). Hours: 11:00–19:00, lunch break 14:00–15:00.
• Bolshoi Gostiny Dvor box office. Inside the Gostiny Dvor shopping arcade on Nevsky Prospekt, 35 — mezzanine floor, corner of the Nevskaya and Perinnaya lines. The most centrally located option if you’re staying near Nevsky. Hours: 11:00–20:00, lunch break 15:00–16:00 (Fridays: 14:00–16:00).

Two things worth knowing: 30 minutes before a performance starts, the Mariinsky and Concert Hall box offices only sell tickets for that specific show. And one hour before the curtain, online sales on mariinsky.ru close — if you want to go that day and tickets are still available, the box office is your only option.

Payment at all box offices is by rubles cash or Russian card (including MIR). Foreign cards are not accepted. Refunds are not handled at the box office either — you’d need to submit a request by email to tickets@mariinsky.ru.

For phone enquiries, the theatre’s information line is +7 (812) 326 41 41.

Buying online at mariinsky.ru

If you have a Russian MIR card and want to buy online, the process on mariinsky.ru is quite straightforward:

1. Register as a user at tickets.mariinsky.ru. You’ll receive a confirmation email.
2. Go to the programme (mariinsky.ru/en/playbill/playbill/). Performances are listed by date with the venue (Mariinsky Theatre, Mariinsky II, Concert Hall) and type (ballet, opera, concert). “No tickets” means sold out.
3. Select a performance, choose your seat on the interactive seating plan (available seats in yellow, your selection in red) and add to your cart.
4. Pay and you’ll receive your e-ticket as a PDF with a barcode. Just print it or show it on your phone to the usher at the door.

The Mariinsky’s official Telegram channel

To stay on top of programme changes, premieres, and ticket sale openings, the theatre’s official Telegram channel is @mariinsky. It’s in Russian, but a phone translator handles it perfectly. There’s also a free official mobile app for Android and iOS — very handy for browsing the programme and buying tickets if you have a MIR card.

The Mikhailovsky Theatre

The Mikhailovsky Theatre is St. Petersburg’s other great opera and ballet venue. Founded in 1833 by order of Tsar Nicholas I, it occupies a neoclassical building designed by Alexander Brullov on Arts Square (Ploshchad Iskusstv), 1, directly opposite the Russian Museum and a 3-minute walk from Nevsky Prospekt. It was named in honour of Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich, the Tsar’s brother.

The hall is more intimate than the Mariinsky — around 880 seats compared to nearly 1,700 at the Historic Mariinsky or 2,000 at Mariinsky II — with beautifully detailed interiors: silver accents, red velvet, crystal chandeliers, and a ceiling painting by Italian artist Giovanni Busato. That closeness to the stage is exactly what many fans love about it: the sound and sightlines are excellent from almost every seat. Since January 2026, the theatre’s acting artistic director is Alexander Solovyov, who took over from Vladimir Kekhman after nineteen years at the helm.

The repertoire blends the great 19th-century ballet and opera classics (Swan Lake, Giselle, Don Quixote, The Nutcracker, The Queen of Spades, Eugene Onegin, La Traviata, Aida, Tosca) with more contemporary productions and festivals like the spring Dance Open festival.

The Mikhailovsky box office

The Mikhailovsky has a single box office, inside the theatre building on Arts Square. Opening hours are:

• Tuesday to Saturday: 10:00–19:00, lunch break 14:00–15:00.
• Sundays and Mondays: closed.

If your visit falls on a Sunday or Monday, you’ll need to buy online or wait until the next day. For phone enquiries, the switchboard is +7 (812) 555-88-88 (extension 0202) and the general email is office@mikhailovsky.ru. At the box office, as at the Mariinsky, only rubles cash or a Russian card are accepted.

Buying online at mikhailovsky.ru

The website has an English version and the process is almost identical to the Mariinsky:

1. Register at mikhailovsky.ru/en/ with your email address.
2. Browse the programme, select a performance, and choose your seats on the interactive seating plan. Available seats are shown in colour; selecting them turns them red.
3. Confirm your booking, select your payment method (you’ll need a Russian card) and complete the payment.
4. You’ll receive a PDF with a QR code to print or show on your phone. No need to collect anything at the box office.

The Mikhailovsky’s official Telegram channel

The Mikhailovsky’s official Telegram channel is @mikhailovskytheatre, with updates on premieres, cast changes, programme adjustments, and ticket sale openings. They’re also on VK (vk.com/mikhailovskytheatre), Russia’s equivalent to Facebook.

When do tickets go on sale?

The Mariinsky’s regular season runs from September to late July, with a summer season in July and — depending on the year — also in August. Tickets for the regular season typically go on sale a few weeks before it starts; summer season tickets usually appear in May.

The Mikhailovsky, for its part, programmes virtually year-round, including July and August. Tickets tend to go on sale a few weeks before each new programme block.

The most in-demand shows — premieres, classical ballets on weekends, The Nutcracker at Christmas, casts featuring star dancers — sell out within days. For the bulk of the repertoire, tickets are usually available until shortly before the curtain. To find out exact sale-opening dates, follow each theatre’s Telegram channel or check their websites.

Approximate prices in 2026

Official box office prices remain very reasonable compared to the major European opera houses. For a ballet or opera at the Historic Mariinsky or Mariinsky II, typical ranges are:

• Upper galleries and restricted-view seats: from around 700–1,500 rubles (≈ €7–15).
• Amphitheatre and side boxes: between 2,500 and 5,000 rubles (≈ €25–50).
• Stalls and front-central balcony: between 5,000 and 12,000 rubles (≈ €50–115) for average-demand performances.
• High-demand performances (Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, premieres): the best seats can reach 15,000–20,000 rubles (≈ €145–195).

At the Mikhailovsky, prices tend to run slightly lower for equivalent seats — partly because the hall is smaller, so the difference between the stalls and the upper levels isn’t as dramatic.

If you see tickets listed on English-language websites for €300, €500, or €1,000 for the Mariinsky or Mikhailovsky — or “VIP Tour” packages with a guide and dinner for €1,500 — those are resellers applying a 200% to 500% markup over the official price.

Beware of resellers and clone websites

If you search “Mariinsky tickets” or “Mikhailovsky tickets” on Google, you’ll find half a dozen websites that look official, come in multiple languages, and cheerfully accept foreign Visa and Mastercard cards. None of them are official. The official websites are mariinsky.ru and mikhailovsky.ru, and only those.

The Mariinsky itself has a serious warning on its website about the growing number of ticket fraud cases. Resellers are creating clone websites that mimic the official site design, advertising them on search engines, and selling tickets at significantly inflated prices. The theatre takes no responsibility for the authenticity of tickets purchased through fraudulent websites. It also flags something important: any ticket with the date altered or the price removed is considered invalid, and the holder may be denied entry without a refund.

On top of that, there are two more risks to be aware of:

• Tickets registered in the reseller’s name. For certain performances, tickets are linked to a specific passport. If the reseller bought the ticket in their own name, you may find yourself turned away at the door when staff check that your passport doesn’t match the name on the ticket.
• Outright scams. Fake Telegram channels impersonating the theatre or “locals selling their spare ticket”, forged PDFs, payments sent to accounts that then vanish. If an offer seems too good to be true, it almost certainly is.

Outside the official websites and the theatres’ own box offices, any other site — mariinsky-theatre.com, balletandopera.com, russianbroadway.com, mystpetersburgpass.com, or similar names — is not the official website, however convincing the design may look.

Visiting rules (key things to know before you go)

Both the Mariinsky and the Mikhailovsky enforce fairly strict rules. It’s worth knowing these before you arrive:

• Passport required for named-ticket performances. If your ticket is nominal (you’ll see this on the ticket itself), you must bring the document listed on it. You may be asked for your passport at the entrance.
• Doors open one hour before the performance. The auditorium closes after the third bell. If you arrive late, you’ll need to wait until the first interval, when an usher will find you a spare seat — you can move to your assigned seat at the break. Aim to arrive at least 30 minutes early to get through security (X-ray, metal detector) and check your coat.
• Mandatory cloakroom. Bulky coats, backpacks, umbrellas, and large bags (over 50×50×30 cm) are not allowed in the auditorium. The cloakroom is free and well-organised. At the Historic Mariinsky there are several cloakroom stations depending on where your seat is.
• Phones silenced, no recording. Filming, photographing the performance, or recording audio is prohibited. You can take photos in the foyers and lobbies during intervals.
• No food or drinks in the auditorium. That’s what the interval buffets are for.
• Minimum age. Each performance has a recommended age (usually 6+ or 12+). Children under 14 may only attend accompanied by an adult.

Dress code

Neither theatre enforces a strict dress code. That said, there are minimum standards that are taken quite seriously:

• No shorts, sleeveless tops, or flip-flops. If you show up dressed like that, you will be turned away at the auditorium door.
• Torn jeans and sportswear are discouraged. Dark jeans with a shirt or blouse are perfectly fine.
• Dirty clothing or strong odours are explicitly listed as grounds for denial of entry in both theatres’ rules.

The typical local look is smart-casual: tailored trousers and a shirt for men, a dress or skirt with a blouse for women. Black tie isn’t required, but you won’t look out of place if you want to dress up. In winter, bear in mind that bulky coats, hats, and wet boots all go straight to the cloakroom when you enter — many Russians bring a small bag with dry shoes to change into before heading up to the auditorium.

Getting to each theatre

Mariinsky (Historic Stage and Mariinsky II)

The Mariinsky is on Teatralnaya Square, in the southern part of the historic centre, near the Griboyedov Canal and the New Holland building. The Teatralnaya metro station is currently closed for renovations — as of 2026 it remains shut to the public. Your options for getting there:

• Metro Sadovaya / Sennaya Ploshchad / Spasskaya (the same transfer station on lines 2, 4, and 5): 12–15 minutes on foot.
• Metro Admiralteyskaya (line 5, purple): 15–20 minutes on foot.
• Buses 3, 22, and 27 and trolleybus 5 from Nevsky Prospekt or Gostiny Dvor.
• Taxi (Yandex Go) from anywhere in the centre: around 200–400 rubles.

Mikhailovsky

The Mikhailovsky is right in the city centre, at Arts Square (Ploshchad Iskusstv), 1, directly opposite the Russian Museum and around the corner from the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood.

• Metro Nevsky Prospekt (line 2, blue) or Gostiny Dvor (line 3, green): both are connected by a tunnel and just a 3–5 minute walk from the theatre. Exit towards the Griboyedov Canal and walk north towards the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood; the second street on your right (Italyanskaya Street) takes you straight to Arts Square.
• If you’re staying at any hotel in the historic centre — near Nevsky, Sadovaya, or around the Russian Museum — you can easily walk.

Guided tours and other experiences

If you can’t get tickets for a performance or simply want to see the theatre’s interior during the day, the Mikhailovsky organises guided tours of the building on selected dates throughout the year. Prices are around 1,500 rubles (≈ €15) per person, in small groups. Dates are published on the theatre’s website and Telegram channel. The Mariinsky also runs occasional guided tours of Mariinsky II, particularly during the White Nights Festival in June.

One recommendation: even if you’re more of a ballet person than an opera fan — or vice versa — make the most of being there and do both. Catching an opera in Russian with English subtitles at the Historic Mariinsky and then a classical ballet the next day at Mariinsky II gives you a very complete picture of the company. And if you’re short on time, the Mikhailovsky is a more convenient alternative — more central, and usually better for last-minute availability.

Food and drink before and during the performance

Both theatres have interval buffets serving champagne, wine, coffee, sandwiches, small cakes, blinis with caviar, and various canapés. Prices are high — a sandwich with red caviar runs around 1,500–2,500 rubles — but it’s all part of the experience. Payment is by rubles cash or Russian card only.

If you prefer a relaxed dinner beforehand, the area around the Mikhailovsky has plenty of options right on Arts Square and the streets parallel to Nevsky. Around the Mariinsky, it’s worth booking in advance — the neighbourhood is more residential and options are thinner on the ground. Check out my guide to restaurants in St. Petersburg for concrete recommendations.

Frequently Asked Questions